Speed Cameras In School Zones Are Making A Comeback
School is around the corner and drivers who speed in school zones better watch out. We reported earlier this summer about the city shutting down its use of speed cameras. This came to the chagrin of many safety advocates. However, things have changed, for the better at that. Lawmakers have come up with a plan to restore speed cameras near New York City schools.
Why Did The Bill Come To An End?
A political firestorm erupted when the program was first axed. Here, the in the Republican-controlled NY state Senate blocked passage of a bill. Most of the summons-issuing cameras went dark at the end of July when a section of state law authorizing 120 of the cameras expired. Another section of the law that has kept an additional 20 cameras operating is to expire at the end of August. The expired law thus allowed the city to operate cameras within 140 school zones during school hours, issuing $50 summonses to vehicles of drivers caught speeding above the posted speed limit.
What’s Next for NYC School Speed Cameras Program?
Implementing the speed cameras again composes of a couple of different moving parts. Cuomo will sign an executive order allowing the city to access necessary data to track offending drivers; the City Council will convene an emergency session this week to vote on what the New York Post calls “a piece of complex legislation” to legally reinstate the 140 cameras currently in school zones; and De Blasio is expected to sign the whole thing into law before school is back in session. If all goes according to schedule, de Blasio could sign the bill as soon as Tuesday, September 4th, the day before the first day of school.
This move also allows the city to leave the Republican-controlled state Senate out of the decision. The state legislature failed to come to an agreement to extend the speed camera laws before school ended for the summer. Nevertheless, Senate majority leader John Flanagan refused to convene a special session to reinstate the legislation. Still, Safe streets advocates have been keeping the pressure on legislators, and that pressure has paid off.
How Speed Camera Enforcement Works
Although the state does not have a set definition of a school day, speed cameras tend to operate 1/2 hour before student activities begin and 1 hour after school activities end. This means the hours can be as early as 6:30 am and as late as 7 pm in some cases. It is also worth remembering that this time frame applies to private schools as well. If schools have student activities on Saturday or Sunday the speed cameras will be active on those days. Drivers caught on a speed camera will receive a $50 ticket in the mail.
Why Turning the Cameras Back On Is Important
Speeding through school zones have cost multiple students their lives. This is why many think speed cameras are so important. There are 140 cameras stationed in school zones allowed the city to ticket law-breaking drivers, and according to a report from the New York City Department of Transportation, cut speeding during school hours by 63 percent.
Traffic cameras have a dramatic effect on the behavior of drivers. Moreover, they tend to have a chilling effect on dangerous driving habits. Cameras help city administrators enforce the laws around red lights, speeding, bus lanes, and even illegal turns. They can do all this around the clock, catching every driver who violates the laws. They can also do a lot more by collecting data to analyze traffic patterns for improved safety.